Council fees and tax base approved by South Kesteven District Council

An adjusted council tax base and council fees and charges have been approved by South Kesteven District Council’s Cabinet members ahead of setting the 2015/16 budget.

The Cabinet members approved a comprehensive list of fees and charges for district council services across South Kesteven, including car park charges, building control fees, room hire and refuse collection.

While some of these charges will remain the same, including current car parking tariffs, others such as building control, the use of the district’s arts centres and licensing will increase in line with inflation.

There was some debate concerning market fees over whether charges for units selling hot food and hot drinks should be separated, which along with queries regarding room hire will be reviewed further ahead of the final budget for 2015/16.

Also put forward to the Cabinet was an adjusted council tax base, which takes into account the current number of properties and the different council tax bands into which they fall. This will form part of the basis for calculating the 2015/16 council tax rates, yet to be published.

South Kesteven District Council also reports that during this year there has been an increase in the levels of activity to recover council tax, due to customers being asked to pay some element of council tax that would have been previously met by council tax benefit.

The report states that this year’s council tax collection rate is anticipated to be 98.5%.

During the meeting Coun Bob Adams and Coun Terl Bryant also added their congratulations to the organisers of Grantham and Stamford’s Christmas celebrations over the weekend.